Author
Topic: 1903 Colt (Read 7311 times)

Whenever I'm out metal detecting and there's any kind of old building on the property I always explore it too. I've found a few old guns/bayonets/knives including an original 58 Remington which I never took pics of. Anyway I was poking around in this old dilapidated house and way back on the top shelf of a closet I found this 1903 Colt. This is one of my better gun finds. I do believe it was in a fire at some time as all the springs are shot. I've played with the idea of restoring it but I'd hate to spend the bucks to redo it and have it beat itself to pieces after just a few rounds.

Logged

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and tasteth good with ketchup.

Thats cool Hawg. Springs would loose their springisity in fire. I know I've ruined several pairs of vice grips while gripping red hot steel. But I dont know if Colts frames, slides and such would be heat treated. I would think the trigger, sear etc. would be heat treated. Just dunno. thanks for posting the pics.

Most of my pistols were stolen and I made some mistakes over the years. I still have the 1887 Winchester I grew up hunting with and dads model 12 he bought new in 53 plus some others that were around when I was young. I still have the 58 Remington I bought new when I was 12.

Logged

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and tasteth good with ketchup.

You know you could go here and get new springs (if you didn't want to dink with restoring the old springs, that is)! Be somewhat costly, but once "restored" to shootable condition cinch a collector would buy it (thus giving you hopefully more substancially more greenbacks than you'd layed out)!

I waited too long and can't afford to now. I did buy a set of repro grips for it but they came without a screw or escutcheons. I had an old set of Ruger grips and got ahead of myself and glued the escutcheons in before I checked to see if the screw would fit through the hole in the frame and of course it's too big and where it's located I can't drill it out. Oh well live and learn.

Logged

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and tasteth good with ketchup.

Mag costs $ 45, grips (decent ones, only $2 difference -) are $ 39.25 (laser-checked walnut, come with escutcheons and screw, loco pony insert), springs would be rough though (have ta look and peek around at least a day ta find that stuff)! Know you know all the places ta go fer that already though, so won't chuck 'em up here (take a few days to even compile that list)!

Last time I checked 300 bucks to get it going again. I didn't spend it when I had it I'm damn sure not going to spend it now that I don't. I think I paid 23.00 for the bakelite grips. I could probably change out the escutcheons without too much trouble. I did buy a new recoil spring so the slide functions again. Did a quick check and found a mag for 40.00 but that's not happening.

Logged

Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy, and tasteth good with ketchup.